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Chemical endagers preemies

If your baby was born prematurely, you greet the day of discharge with anxiety as the newest member of your family walks away from the safety and security of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). But with the wrong medical equipment, the risks at home pale in comparison to the dangers inside the hospital.

According to the Journal of Perinatology, a premature baby hooked up to multiple plasticizers could be exposed to over 16 kilograms ofdiethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). This exposure is 4,000 to 160,000 times higher than what is deemed to be safe.

“Premature babies require a lot of specialized care,” explaineIf your baby was born prematurely, you greet the day of discharge with anxiety as the newest member of your family walks away from the safety and security of the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). But with the wrong medical equipment, the risks at home pale in comparison to the dangers inside the hospital.

According to the Journal of Perinatology, a premature baby hooked up to multiple plasticizers could be exposed to over 16 kilograms ofdiethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP). This exposure is 4,000 to 160,000 times higher than what is deemed to be safe.

d Julian Nair, Managing Director of B. Braun Medical Supplies, Inc. “Parents need to be made aware of the dangers of DEHP, because the threat is real.”

DEHP is one of the first six compounds that the European Union (EU) is phasing out under its Registration, Evaluation, Authorization& Restoration of Chemical Substances (REACH) program. Paris is set to ban it from medical equipment this year.

In 2011, the Food and Drug Administration reported cases of DEHP in food and beverage products that were imported to the Philippines. These products were consequently pulled out from the groceries due to their health hazards.

Be safe, be DEHP-free

From grocery bags to food containers, Filipinos are urged to use DEHP-free items. For expecting parents, this is even more important because their newborns deserve the safest and best care possible.

“When looking at everyday items, we take a lot of things for granted. But these details shouldn’t be taken lightly nor overlooked, because they could put our health at risk,” said Nair.

B. Braun, a leading manufacturer of healthcare solutions, uses an alternative compound to create its products. “We use DEHT (Diethyhexyl terephthalate) instead of DEHP,” said Nair.

B. Braun uses DEHT as a substitute to DEHP in all its healthcare products, including plastic cannulas and intravenous bags designed for nutritional support and blood transfusion.

He concluded, “Product innovation will always be our driving force in improving people’s lives. For B. Braun, patient safety always comes first—and this has been our trademark for the last 17 decades.”